Have you ever used Comfrey as groundbait

[scunnydelight]

HI Guys & Gals

 

Was talking to my father in law the other night about using Comfrey as a fertiser for gardens, he then went on to say that he used to use it in his groundbait when he used to fish (he's 77 now and cant get out to fish).

 

He said he used to cut the Comfrey and put it in a bucket of water and leave it to soak for about a week, he then used the liquid as a fertiliser on his garden, BUT, also used to use some of the liquid as the base for his groundbait. He stated that the fish love it and he always used to catch a lot.

 

Has anyone else heard of Comfrey being used in this way, or have you used it, and if so with what results, i'm going top grow some Comfrey and give it a try anyway later in the season. You never know.

[DavyR]

I've never used it in groundbait (or heard of this being done), but be warned - steeping comfrey in water for a week will result in the most vile-smelling liquid you have ever encountered. Are you sure he's not winding you up?

[Chris Plumb]

My wife makes comfrey 'tea' every spring - she even grows comfrey in the garden especially. Basically as you describe, soak the comfrey in water (Jaq uses a dustbin) for around 3 weeks. When you take the lid off the dustbin STAND BACK! The stuff absolutely honks - smells like pigsh!t. Jaq decants the liquid into lemonade bottles and uses it throughout the summer on her tomatoes as a fertiliser - adding a cup full to a 2gal watering can ever week during the growing season. First time she ever made it she used my bait bucket for it - never again - it stank the whole summer long! Hence I made her buy her own dustbin for future years. Comfrey is very good at extracting and concentraing nutrients and minerals hence its use as a fertiliser. I wouldn't want to use it as a ground bait - the smell alone is overpowering - would probably attract every fly on the water - and make you hugely unpopular with your mates....

 

 

C.

[Leon Roskilly]

Rather than steeping it in water, I pack it into a container and some while later, a brown liquid will start draining out of a hole in the bottom.

 

This liquid comfrey concentrate, doesn't smell as bad as the 'tea', and can be diluted 1 part in 10 with water for a tomato/potato feed (similar to Tomorite).

 

You really need a special variety - Bocking 14 ( http://www.allotment.org.uk/vegetable/comfrey/comfrey.PDF )

 

I haven't tried it as groundbait though.

 

ps comfrey 'tea' can make your hands stink, almost impossible to wash off the smell.

 

(I would imagine that it's excellent for 'reserving' a swim, especially close to opening day. No one is going to park a bivvy when a gallon (or even a pint) of comfrey tea has been sprinkled around the area! Of course it would be totally unethical to use it to clear squatters out of an occupied swim that you fancy.)

 

pps for gardening purposes you can do much the same with stinging nettles, either 'tea' or concentrate.

Edited January 25, 2008 by Leon Roskilly

[tincatinca]

My wife makes comfrey 'tea' every spring - she even grows comfrey in the garden especially. Basically as you describe, soak the comfrey in water (Jaq uses a dustbin) for around 3 weeks. When you take the lid off the dustbin STAND BACK! The stuff absolutely honks - smells like pigsh!t. Jaq decants the liquid into lemonade bottles and uses it throughout the summer on her tomatoes as a fertiliser - adding a cup full to a 2gal watering can ever week during the growing season. First time she ever made it she used my bait bucket for it - never again - it stank the whole summer long! Hence I made her buy her own dustbin for future years. Comfrey is very good at extracting and concentraing nutrients and minerals hence its use as a fertiliser. I wouldn't want to use it as a ground bait - the smell alone is overpowering - would probably attract every fly on the water - and make you hugely unpopular with your mates....

C.

 

Thank you for this post, it has put a great big smile on my face after having a crap week working away from home. Brilliant